Full-fashioned knitting machine



c. SCHELLER 2,708,840

2 Sheets-Sheet l FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE May 24, 1955 Filed Nov. 25, 1955 .772r/en7ar C u RT SCHELLER May24, 1955 c. SCHELLER FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 cunr Scum LLER WLAW iled NOV. 25, 1955 United States Patent FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Curt @ciielier, Goppingen, Germany, assignor to Gebr.

Boehringer G. m. b. H., Goppingen, Germany, a limited liability company of Germany Appiication November 23, 1953, Serial No. 393,857

Claims priority, appiication Germany November 29, 1952 Claims. c1. 66-129 The present invention relates to a full-fashioned knitting machine provided with a plaiting attachment including one or more plaiting thread guides adapted to be reciprocated by friction boxes, i. e. frictionally driven elements.

In prior machines of this kind, the friction boxes are arranged to act either directly on a member fixed to the plaiting thread guide or on an intermediate plaiting slide which, in its turn, acts on the plaiting thread guide, the friction boxes alternatively engaging and driving the plaiting slide to and fro. In either case, the plaiting thread guide must be so reciprocated as to move in ad vance of the reciprocating slur cock being spaced a constant distance therefrom. Such distance, however, shall be as small as possible. Where such distance, however, has been adjusted to a very small amount, the friction boxes must perform a considerable idle motion from either end position up to the point of engagement with the plaiting slide. In performing such idle motion the friction boxes will reach a considerable speed and will, therefore, engage the plaiting slide connected to thep'laiting thread guide with a considerable impact. This impact is enhanced by the weight of the resting threadguide and of the resting plaiting slide which must he suddenly accelerated up to the speed of the engaging friction box. As a result, the friction boxes will slide a certain distance on the bar on which they are mtiu'nted; In other words, the friction boxes will fall back behind their original positions on theit supportingbar to a certain extent. This extent increases as the width of the plaited material de-' creases. This is so because the speed of engagement of the friction boxes with the slide fixed to the plaiting thread guide will increase with a decreasing width of the material since,- as is well known, the speed imparted to the slur cock and to the" friction boxes increases towards the center of the width of section of the machine. p

In order to reduce the amount of the frictional displacement of the friction boxes on their supporting bar, it has been a general practieet tighten the frictiori boxes to the utmost extent on their supporting bar and to so adjust the friction boxesat the outset that upon frictionai displacement they will have the proper position.- This, however, involves the disadvantage that a considerable force is required to overcome the friction ofthe friction boxes on their supporting bar and that, when the machine is running at a low speed, the friction boxes willv not at all or very little only slide ontheir supporting bar thus moving the plaiting thread guide too far in advance of the slur cock wherefrom a faulty plaitingoperation is liable to result. I r I It is the object of the present invention to provide improved actuating means for the pl aitingthreadguides of a full-fashioned knitting machine permitting of. a higher speed of operation of the plaiting attachment over the whole widthof the machine sections at the same time minimizing the risk of a faulty plaiting. operation. It is another object of the present invention to provide improved actuating means for the plaiting thread guides "ice which are simple and reliable in operation and subject to a minimum of wear and, therefore, lend themselves to operation at a high speed and to manufacture at low cost.

The present invention is applicable to a full-fashioned knitting machine of the type provided with a draw-chain mechanism adapted to actuate the ground thread guides and to variably determine the length of the reciprocatory motion imparted thereto. Such draw-chain mechanisms are well known in the art and disclosed, for instance, in the German patent specification No. 639,961.

Viewed from one aspect, the present invention resides in that the plaiting thread guide is not only actuated by the pair of friction boxes, but is additionally positively driven by the draw-chain mechanism, the latter driving the plaiting thread guide from its start up to a point slightly spaced from the end of its travel, the ground thread guide being moved a constant distance ahead of the plaiting thread guide, no matter whether the machine Will run fast or slow. Through the last phase of its motion the plaiting thread guide is driven by the friction boxes in the same manner as customary in the prior art. As a result, the machine may be operated at a much higher speed than prior machines provided with a plaiting attachment.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings, it being understood that such illustration serves the purpose of explaining the nature of the invention rather than that of limiting the sahie. Iii the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic elevation of the plaiting attachment illustrating the draw chain mecha nism, the ground thread guide bar, the plaiting thread guide bar, and the associated mechanism, the ground thread guide and the associated parts being shown as passing through the middle of their stroke,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the draw-chain mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1, of the friction means for actiiating the plaiting thread guide bar, and of cam mechanisms for the operation of the draw-chain mechanism and of the slur cock,

Fig. 3 is a section through the thread guide selector and the thread guide bars, such section being taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

4 is an elevation of the cam mechanism partly in section taken along the line 44 of Fig.- 2,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to the right hand lower portion of Fig. 2 showing the thread guides at the right hand end of their reciprocation, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the slur cock bar, of the bar supporting the plaiting thread guide slides, and of the associated frictional connecting means, the section being t'aken along the line 6 6 of Fig: 2.

Only such parts of the full-fashioned knitting machine are illustrated in the drawings as are affected by the present invention, while the other parts which cooperate in the ordinary prior art manner, such as the shakers,- the slur cock actuating the same successively and the needles, are not shown.

In the present embodiment, the aetnation of both the slur cock and the threaded guides is derived from a single horizontal cam shaft 10 extending fore and aft in the frame of the machine. Cam shaft It) is geared by a pair of meshing bevel gears 11 and 12 to a horizontal main shaft 13 extending lengthwise of the machine and mounted in suitable bearings, such as 14, fixed to the machine frame 15. The main shaft 13 is driven by an electric motor 16 through an endless belt 17 running: over pulleys 18 and 19 fixed to the motor shaft 26,- and the main shaft 13 respectively. In this manner, continuous rotation is imparted to earn shaft 10.

Two cams 21 and 22 are fixed to the shaft. Cam 21 serves to actuate a draw-chain mechanism to be den} scribed later for the purpose of imparting a reciprocatory motion of adjustable length to ground thread guides, such as 23. The cam 22 serves the purpose of reciprocating the slur cocks in timed relation to the thread guides 23. The means actuated by the cams 21 and 22 will now be described in detail with reference to Figs. 2 and 4.

A substantially horizontal follower link 24 is guided for lengthwise reciprocation by a link 25 which depends from a horizontal transverse rod 26 forming part of the machine frame and is pivoted by a pin 27 to the right hand end of link 24, and the link 24 is further guided by an upright two-armed lever 28 having its lower arm fulcrumed by a pin 29 to the machine frame and having its upper end pivotally connected by a pin 36 to a block 31, such lever being connected between its ends to link 24 by a pivot pin 32. A pair of follower rollers 33 and 34 is rotatably mounted on link 24 for engagement with cam 22 on opposite points of its periphery. Therefore, rotation of cam 22 will positively impart a rocking motion to lever 28 and to the block 31 connected thereto. In suitable brackets, such as 35, fixed to the machine frame a bar 36 is mounted. A block 37 is slidably guided on bar 36 and has lateral vertical guideways slidably accommodating block 31. Therefore, rocking motion of lever 28 will reciprocate block 37 on bar 36. Parallel to bar 36 there extends a bar 38 which is mounted in the frame of the machine for lengthwise reciprocation. This is the bar which operates a slur cock in each section of the machine for successive actuation of the sinkers and associated mechanism in a known manner. The bar 38 is connected to block 37 by an arm 39 for common movement.

From the foregoing description it will appear that the elements 24, 33, 28, 31, 37, 39 and 38 constitute follower means positively reciprocated by the slur cock actuating cam 22.

The cam 21 actuating the draw-chain mechanism is provided with follower means similar to those shown in Fig. 4 comprising a horizontal link 124 mounted for lengthwise reciprocation by a depending link 125 and an upright two-armed lever 128. The link 124 carries a pair of follower rollers 133 and 134 engaging cam 21 on opposite sides. A block 131 pivotally mounted on the upper end of the two armed lever 128 engages vertical guideways provided on a sliding member 137 formed with a rearwardly projecting bracket 42. The sliding member 137 is slidably mounted on the back of block 37 by suitable guiding means for lengthwise horizontal relative displacement. Thus, cam 21 will positively impart a reciprocation to bracket 42 in timed relation to the reciprocation of the slur cock actuating bar 38. A rod 43 is fixed to bracket 42 and is slidably guided in suitable bearings diagrammatically indicated at 44, such bearings being fixed to the frame of the machine.

As shown in Fig. 1, the bar 43 serves to actuate the draw-chain mechanism which has the function of reciprocating the thread guide bar or bars with a smooth acceleration and a smooth deceleration over a stroke of adjustable length.

A pair of brackets 45 and 46 is slidably mounted on parallel horizontal rods forming part of the machine frame, one such rod 47 being visible in Fig. 1, such rod extending parallel to the slur cock bar 38 lengthwise of the machine. Suitable means to be described later are provided to hold brackets 45 and 46 in stationary but lengthwise adjustable positions. The mechanism for adjusting the brackets 45 and 46 which will be described later includes a pair of coaxial horizontal threaded spindles 48 and 49 which are rotatably mounted in a bracket 50 attached to the machine frame.

Each of the brackets 45, 46 carries a pair of coaxial lower sprocket wheels 51, and 52 respectively, and an upper pair of coaxial sprocket wheels 53, and 54 respectively. Two pairs of hooks 55 and 56 are fixed to the reciprocating rod 43. A pair of chains 57 extends from books 55 horizontally to and around sprockets 52, thence upwardly to and around sprockets 54, from there horizontally and around sprockets 53, and downwardly to sprockets 51 and around the latter and horizontally to hooks 56. A block 58 is attached to chains 57 intermediate their ends. A bracket 59 is slidably mounted on frame rods 47 intermediate the pair of brackets 45, 46 and is provided with a vertical slot 60. Block 58 is slidably mounted in slot 60. Each of the brackets 45 and 46 consists of a pair of spaced parallel plates rigidly connected for common movement and adapted to straddle bracket 59.

From the foregoing it will be evident that to and fro motion imparted to chain 57 by reciprocation of rod 43 will carry block 58 along on a path composed of a horizontal line extending tangentially to and between the tops of sprocket wheels 53 and 54, of adjoining arcs embracing an angle of and of vertical lines, one such vertical line extending tangentially to sprockets 52 and 54 and the other one extending tangentially to the sprockets 51 and 53. The horizontal component of such motion of block 58 is imparted to bracket 59. Therefore, block 58, while carried upwardly between sprockets 52 and 54, Will hold bracket 59 stationary in its left end position and then, while passing around sprockets 54, will gradually accelerate bracket 59 towards the right; while passing from sprockets 54 to sprockets 53 block 58 will move bracket 59 to the right at a speed identical with that of cam-actuated rod 43; while passing around sprockets 53 block 58 will gradually decelerate bracket 59 down to zero speed; while passing from sprockets 53 to sprockets 51 block 58 will hold bracket 59 stationary in its right hand position while rod 43 may continue its motion to the right. Upon reversal of rod 43 the motion just described is reversed, bracket 59 being gradually accelerated to the left up to the full speed of rod 43 and being eventually decelerated down to zero speed upon arrival in its left hand position. The right hand position and the left hand position are determined by the adjustment of the brackets 45 and 46.

The ground thread guides, such as 23, are connected to bracket 59 for common movement. To this end, a horizontal bar 61 extending parallel to rod 43 lengthwise of the machine is mounted in the machine frame for longitudinal sliding motion and is fixed to bracket 59. On this bar a thread guide selector 62 is attached which is slidably guided on a frame rod 63 and for that purpose is integral with a bushing slidably fitted on rod 63. The bushing 64 has a horizontal, forwardly extending arm 65 formed with a boss 66 having a pair of vertical passages. In each passage a selector finger 67, or 68 respectively, is slidably mounted for manual adjustment and is held in any adjusted position by suitable detent means not shown. Each selector finger 67 or 68 of the thread guide selector 62, 64, 65, 66 overlies a thread guide bar 69, or 70 respectively. The thread guide bars extend horizontally lengthwise of the machine over the whole width thereof and are mounted for sliding motion in suitable bearings 71 fixed to the frame of the machine. In each section of the machine the bar 69 carries one ground thread guide 23 and the bar 70 carries one plaiting thread guide 72 (Fig. 2). Thus, the bars 69, 70 and the bearings 71 constitute means for mounting the thread guides 23 and 72 for parallel movement. The bar 70 includes a section 73 of increased width and height, either end of such section being provided with a horizontal, lengthwise extending adjustable stop screw 74. Moreover, the top of section 73 between its ends is provided with a recess 75. The opposed vertical shoulders of such recess 75 have horizontal, tapped bores accommodating adjustable stop screws 76 and 77 which project into the recess 75 and straddle the selector finger 68, provided that the same has been adjusted to its lower position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

Similarly, thread guide bar 69 is provided with a widened section 78 of increased height. This section is provided with a recess adapted to be engaged by the selector finger 67, provided that same has been set to its lower position. Whereas finger 68 engages loosely between the stops 76 and 77, a lost motion being provided therebetween, the finger 67 fits snugly into the recess of section 78 and, therefore, connects the drawchain mechanism to the ground thread guide 23 for common motion, the location of the reversal points of such motion being variably determined by the adjustment of the brackets and 46.

From the above it will appear that the thread guide selector including the fingers 67 and 68 cooperates with the pair of adjustable stop screws 76 and 77 fixed to the thread guide bar 70 to establish a lost-motion connection between the ground thread guide 23 and the plaiting thread guide 72. As a result, the plaiting thread guide will follow the ground thread guide on the motion of the latter in either direction keeping a fixed distance from the ground thread guide, such distance being determined by the distance of the stop screws 76 and 77 minus the width of finger 68.

It is a requirement, however, that the plaiting thread guide 72 catch up with the ground thread guide when the latter arrives at either end position of its reciprocatory motion. Therefore, friction means have been provided which connect the plaiting thread guide bar 70 to a reciprocatory driving member, such as bar 38, to thereby drive the plaiting thread guide additionally over the last section of its reciprocatory travel in either direction.

As shown in Fig. 6, a slide 79 is mounted for travel on bar 36 and on a horizontal frame rod 80 extend ing lengthwise of the machine and has an arm 40 fixed by screws to the slur cock actuating bar 38. Moreover, the slide 79 is provided with a forward projection 81 fixed by screw 81 to a bar 82. The latter extends lengthwise of the machine and is slidably guided in suitable bearings 83 fixed to the frame of the machine. Hence, it will appear that bar 82 participates in the reciprocatory motion of the follower slide 37 driven by the slur cock actuating cam 22.

Two friction boxes 84 and 85 are slidably mounted on bar 82 and frictionally clamped thereto by suitable means not shown. Each of the boxes has a forward projection 86, or 87 respectively, adapted to engage a plaiting slide 88 which is slidably mounted on a lengthwise extending frame rod 89 and, in its turn, has a forwardly extending finger 90 snugly fitting. into a recess provided on a block 91 fixed to the plaiting thread guide bar 70. When bar 38 and slide 79 fixed thereto are travelling towards the right, they carry along bar 82 and the latter, in its turn, will tend to carry along friction box 85 having projection or finger 87 which engages and carries along plaiting slide 88 connected with the plaiting thread guide 72 for common movement. This movement takes place at substantially the same speed as that of bar 61 produced by the drawchain mechanism and imparted to the ground thread guide 23. However, the movement of. the plaiting slide 88 will continue, after bar 61 and the thread guide Selector connected thereto have come to a full stop because of the passage of block 58 around sprockets 53 into the vertical leg of its path of travel. Then the ground thread guide 23 remains at rest, while the plaiting thread guide 72 continues its movement, being driven by the box 85 through the intermediary of the plaiting slide 88 until the plaiting thread guide 72 has caught up with the ground thread guide and is then stopped by engagement of the section 73 of the plaiting thread guide bar 70 with a stop 92 to be described later.

After plaiting thread guide 72 has been stopped in its end position in alignment with the ground thread guide 23, bar 82 continues its movement. Let it be assumed that this end position of the thread guides be the right hand end position, then box 85 through its finger 87 is stopped by the plaiting slide 88, while bar 82 continues its motion towards the right slipping through box 85 while the latter is held stationary. Upon reversal of bar 82, however, box 85 will move to the left until it engages an adjustable stop screw 94 provided on the machine frame, for instance on bearing 83, and is held stationary thereby while bar 82 continues to move to the left until the original relative position of bar 82 and box 85 has V been restored. A similar adjustable stop screw 95 fixed to the frame cooperates with friction box 84.

The stop 92 which limits the reciprocatory travel of the plaiting thread guide bar 70 by engagement with stop screw 74- is mounted on a bracket 96 which is slidably mounted for lengthwise displacement on the machine frame. Bracket 96 is integral with an internally threaded sleeve 97 which engages the threaded spindle 49. This sleeve has a projection 98 which is connected with bracket 45 by a connecting bar 99. Therefore, rotation of spindle 49 in one direction or the other will cause brackets 45 and 96 to be shifted in unison. Similarly, a stop 93 limiting the travel of the plaiting thread guide to the left is carried by a bracket integral with a threaded sleeve 181 engaging spindle 48, and the threaded sleeve 101 is connected to bracket 46 by a connecting rod 102 for common adjustment. Hence, any change of the length s of travel of the ground thread guide 23 will automatically result in an adjustment of the stops 92 and 93 causing a similar change of the length of travel of the plaiting thread guide.

Suitable driving mechanisms 163 and 164 are provided for the purpose of automatically rotating the spindles 48 and 49. Since such driving mechanisms are well known in the art and do not form part of the present invention, they need not be described in detail.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the elements are shown in the position which they assume when the ground thread guide 23 travelling towards the right is passing through the middle of its stroke ahead of the plaiting thread guide 72 which follows it at equal speed and at a constant distance, same equalling the distance of stop screw 76 from finger 68. Also, bars 36 and 82 and box 85 are travelling towards the right at substantially the same speed as the thread guide bars 69 and 78, and finger 87 is either in engagement with plaiting slide 88 or follows it at a close distance ready to take over the driving function as soon as the thread guide selector and the bar 69 connected therewith are slowed down upon arrival of block 58 on and passage thereof over the pair of sprockets 53. During such passage of the block over the sprockets the thread guide selector and the ground thread guide 23 connectedthereto are gradually decelerated and brought to a full stop, while the plaiting slide 88 and the plaiting thread guide bar 78 rigidly connected thereto continue their motion being frictionally driven by box 85. This motion is eventually stopped by engagement of stop screw '74 with stop finger 92 substantially at the instant when the plaiting thread guide 72 has caught up with the ground thread guide 23. By this time, the bar section 73- has moved to a position bringing the center of the recess 75- into registry with finger 68, the finger 68 being now spaced from the stop screws 76 and 77 considerably less than the length of the chain-embraced portion of the periphery of sprockets 53. Box 84 is now engaging stop 95 (Fig. 5) being spaced from plaiting slide 88 a distance depending upon the position of the plaiting slide which, in its turn, is determined by the position of stop 92.

Upon reversal of the cam-actuated rod 43 which now starts moving to the left, the motion of bar 38 is likewise reversed carrying with it bar 82 and box 84 which now approaches plaiting slide 88. Before it has reached the plaiting slide, however, block 58 has risen to a point where it commences its passage over sprockets 53 and gradually accelerates the thread guide selector causing finger 67 to take along the ground thread guide 23, finger 68 at the same time approaching stop screw 76, Shortly thereafter finger 68 still moving at a comparatively low speed engages stop screw 76 and without any substantial impact carries with it bar 70 and the plaiting thread guide 72 accelerating same to full speed. When that speed will have been reached, box 84 will have caught up with the plaiting slide 88 and will follow same either in contact therewith or at a small distance therefrom ready to take over the driving function upon arrival of the thread guide selector and of the ground thread guide and the deceleration thereof near the left end of their travel.

Hence, it will appear that the plaiting thread guide 72 and the elements connected therewith for common movement are gradually accelerated by the chain-link mechanism and the elements driven thereby before the friction box 84 will reach and engage plaiting slide 88 thus avoiding the undesirable shock which in the prior art was experienced incidentally to the engagement of friction box 84 with the plaiting slide '35. Where the stops 92 and 93 are set at a close distance limiting the path of travel of the plaiting slide accordingly, the box 84 may have to run through a considerable distance before reaching the plaiting slide 88 and may, therefore, have a considerable speed. That is the reason why it has been found extremely advantageous to devise the means hereinabove described for the elimination of such shock.

From the above it will be appreciated that the embodiment of the present invention described heretofore comprises a ground thread guide 23, a plaiting thread guide 72, means 69 and 70 for mounting said thread guides for parallel movement, a first cam 21, draw-chain mechanism 45, 46, 47 and 51 to 60 driven by the first cam 21 and connected to the ground thread guide 23 by the elements 61 to 67 and 69, the draw-chain mechanism being adapted to impart a reciprocatory motion to the ground thread guide, adjustable brackets 96 and 160 associated with the draw-chain mechanism and adapted to control same to variably determine the length of the reciprocatory motion of the ground thread guide, means 68, 76, 77 establishing a lost-motion connection between the thread guides 23 and 72, said means enabling the draw-chain mechanism to cause the plaiting thread guide 72 to follow the ground thread guide 23 at a distance, end stops 92 and 93 for the plaiting thread guide 72 and its bar 70, such end stops 92 and 93 being connected for common adjustment with the brackets 96 and 100, a slur cock actuating cam 22 connected to the first cam 21 for common rotation, follower means 33, 34, 24, 28, 38 and 82 coordinatcd to the last mentioned cam 21 and adapted to be reciprocated thereby, a plaiting slide 38, friction means 84 and 85 establishing a connection between said follower means and said plaiting slide 88 to impart a reciprocatory motion to the latter, said plaiting slide being mounted for engagement with said means 70 for mounting said plaiting thread guide 72 and adapted when approaching either end of its reciprocatory motion to drive the plaiting thread guide 72 through part of the lost motion provided between finger 68 and stop screws 76 and 77 after the ground thread guide 23 has reached either end of its motion. In this manner, the plaiting thread guide '72 is caused to catch up with the ground thread guide 23 coming to a full stop in substantial alignment therewith at either end of its travel.

While having described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be clearly understood that the same is in no way restricted to the details thereof, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a ground thread guide, a plaiting thread guide, means for mounting said thread guides for parallel movement, a drawchain mechanism connected to said ground thread guide and adapted to impart a reciprocatory motion thereto, adjustable means associated with said draw-chain mechanism and adapted to control same to variably determine the length of said reciprocatory motion, motion-transmitting means connected to said ground thread guide and adapted to drive said plaiting thread guide, a reciprocating driving member, and friction means connecting said driving member to said plaiting thread guide to thereby drive the same additionally.

2. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a ground thread guide, a plaiting thread guide, means for mounting said thread guides for parallel movement, a first cam, a draw-chain mechanism driven by said first cam and connected to said ground thread guide and adapted to impart a reciprocatory motion thereto, adjustable brackets associated with said draw-chain mechanism and adapted to control same to variably determine the length of said reciprocatory motion, means establishing a lostmotion connection between said thread guides, said means enabling said draw-chain mechanism to cause said plaiting thread guide to follow said ground thread guide at a distance, end stops for said plaiting thread guide, said end stops being connected for common adjustment with said brackets, a slur cock actuating cam connected to said first cam for common rotation, follower means coordinated to said last mentioned cam and adapted to be reciprocated thereby, a plaiting slide, and friction means establishing a connection between said follower means and said plaiting slide to impart a reciprocatory motion to the latter, said plaiting slide being mounted for engagement with said means for mounting said plaiting thread guide and adapted, when approaching either end of its reciprocatory motion, to drive said plaiting thread guide through part of said lost motion after said ground thread guide has reached either end of its motion, thereby causing said plaiting thread guide to catch up with said ground thread guide.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2 in which said lost motion connection comprises a thread guide selector connected to said draw-chain mechanism to be reciprocated thereby, at least two selector fingers adjustably mounted on said selector, a ground thread guide bar carrying said ground thread guide, a plaiting thread guide bar carrying said plaiting thread guide, said ground thread guide bar being provided with a recess for selective engagement by one of said fingers, and spaced adjustable stops fixed to said plaiting thread guide bar and adapted to loosely embrace another one of said fingers.

4. The combination claimed in claim 2 in which said friction means comprise a pair of friction boxes, a reciprocatory bar being provided forming part of said follower means, said pair of friction boxes being frictionally mounted on said bar on either side of said plaiting slide to impart motion thereto derived from the reciprocation of said bar, and stationary adjustable stops mounted on either side of said pair of friction boxes for engagement therewith.

5. The combination claimed in claim 1 in which said adjustable means associated with said draw-chain mechanism includes a pair of brackets, end stops being provided for said plaiting thread guide, said end stops being connected with said brackets for common adjustment.

No references cited. 

